Lars & the Real Girl

A lonely, delusional young man buys a life-size sex doll on the Internet and falls in love with her, telling people it's his girlfriend. His brother and sister-in-law step in to help him with his delusion.

Cast:
Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Kelli Garner & Paul Schneider
Director: Craig Gillespie

Lars Lindstrom is a loveable introvert whose emotional baggage has kept him from fully embracing life. After years of what is almost solitude, he invites Bianca, a friend he met on the internet to visit him. He introduces Bianca to his brother Gus and his wife Karen and they are stunned. They don't know what to say to Lars or Bianca--because she is a life-size doll, not a real person and he is treating her as though she is alive. They consult the family doctor Dagmar who explains this is a delusion he's created--for what reason she doesn't yet know but they should all go along with it. What follows is an emotional journey for Lars and the people around him.

Comedy and Drama, 1 hr. 46 min, PG-13

ATKBO Review

In a small town we meet 27 year old Lars (Ryan Gosling), living alone in a small apartment across from his brother Gus and his wife Karen who are always trying to get him to come over and share his time with them. Their parents are both dead and Lars seems deeply affected about it. He goes to church and works in a office and goes through his life day by day quietly and keeps to himself. He is genuinely liked by members of the close nit community especially new to town Margo (Kelli Garner) who catches his eye at church and at work where she has just started up. Despite her advances, Lars seems to avoid her much like everyone else he has contact with. At work one day his colleague Kurt shows him a website in which you can design and order a life sized doll.
Six weeks later Karen informs Lars at work about a large box was delivered. On his own accord Lars turns up at his brothers all spruced up and introduces Gus and Karen to his new friend, Bianca – a life sized doll. Not knowing how to react to Lars new friend the couple go along with it as Lars mentions if she can stay at their house in the guest, and a very bright pink room.
The couple get Lars to agree for them to take Bianca to the local doctor for a check up, where Dr Dagmar (Patricia Clarkson) who is also a psychiatrist plays along with the situation, and persuades Lars to come back regularly so she can check on Bianca but really the appointments are for Lars.
The rest of the town get behind the charade including his work mates and church goers and soon Bianca has her own life outside of Lars. Will Lars get grow out of this phase, will he open up to others like he has with Bianca?

Ryan Gosling gives us another one of his trademark indie performances that has been well received by critics and fans alike. With not much to work with, Lars brings the doll to life with a touching and heartfelt performance. Patricia Clarkson plays off Gosling very well as his doctor/psychiatrist. The supporting cast are also top notch.
A new modern tale of loneliness that even the hardest of critics would find hard not to like.

ATKBO Ratings

• = A Bloody Classic!!!
• = Pretty Bloody Good!
• = Fair
• = Dumb
• = Bloody Awful